Neither of the guys pictured (above) was chef-partner Timon Balloo, who runs Bocce and the neighboring Sugarcane with the SushiSamba restaurant group. But one of them is a new-to-Miami face: Chef Daniel Tackett, who worked as sous chef at Michael White’s Marea in New York and previously at Scott Conant’s Scarpetta in New York.

This isn’t Tackett’s first stint in South Florida. Fort Lauderdale eatery Valentino brought on Tackett as chef de cusine a year ago.

Has Tackett taken over for Balloo in leading the Bocce Bar kitchen? Will the restaurant change directions under his leadership?

We’ve asked Samba’s representatives for details. More as we learn it.

UPDATE (7/25): Multiple sources confirm Tackett is indeed the new executive chef at Bocce Bar. Balloo remains in charge of Sugarcane, a concept that the Samba group hopes to expand beyond Miami.